The forestry concession system in Bolivia went into effect with the passing of the new Forestry Law 1700 in 1996, replacing prior Forest Harvesting Contracts. This new law established the following types of forestry rights: Forestry concessions for timber companies, Forestry concessions for local social groups (ASLs by its Spanish acronym), Forest harvesting permits for indigenous lands (TCOs by its Spanish acronym), Forest harvesting permits for private properties, and Forest harvesting contracts for public lands. There are two kinds of forestry concessions; one for timber companies whose owners voluntarily converted their forest harvesting contracts into forestry concessions and another for ASLs as provided by the new Forestry Law.